Routine exams are necessary for everyone, even if you feel your vision is fine. During the eye exam the doctor will not only check your vision and determine whether or not you need glasses, but also perform a full eye health exam. Many systemic health conditions show some of their earliest signs in the eye. Diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes, and some cancers can be detected by examining the eye. There are also many eye diseases that can be easily detected by an optometrist that do not show symptoms until the late stages, when the vision is already permanently damaged.
Routine eye exams are recommended every 2 years for adults between age 18 and 64 and then yearly afterwards. The optometrist may recommend more frequent eye exams depending on your health the results of your eye exam.

The Saskatchewan Association of Optometrists recommends a child's first eye exam to be between 6 and 9 months of age, then at least once between ages 2 to 5 years. Once a child begins school, he or she should be having yearly eye exams. Saskatchewan Health covers children's eye exams under the age of 18.
Often times children do not complain about vision problems because they are unaware that how they see is not normal. In some cases, if a child's vision problems are not caught early enough, they can have a permanent effect. Optometrists are able to detect problems even if the child does not understand how to respond during an eye exam. For more information on your child's vision, see the links on our resourses page or call our office and speak to one of our experienced staff members.

Contact lenses are a great option for vision correction for a lot of patients. Before fitting you with contacts, our doctors will evaluate your eye to make sure you are a good candidate and will fully educate you on the proper wear and care of your contacts.
Did you know that cosmetic contact lenses, even if they have no vision correction, are medical devices and need to be fit by a trained eyecare professional? If contacts are worn or cared for improperly, you put yourself at risk of complications, including serious infections that can lead to blindness.

Diabetic eye disease is the leading cause of blindness in Canada. Over 9 million Canadians are pre-diabetic or have diabetes and it is estimated that about 2 million Canadians have some form of diabetic eye disease. Every person with diabetes requires a yearly dilated eye exam.
During your eye exam, the optometrist will examine your overall eye health including the inside of your eye. Changes in your retina, including bleeding, swelling, and decreased oxygen flow can indicate uncontrolled diabetes. If the doctor suspects you may be diabetic or that your diabetes is not properly under control, she will work with your family doctor to make sure you get the necessary testing and treatment.